Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans
Born: 18 August 1920, Finchley, Middlesex
Died: 3 May 1999, Northampton
Major Teams: Kent, England.
Known As: Godfrey Evans
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Leg Break
Other: Wicket-Keeper
Test Debut: England v India at The Oval, 3rd Test, 1946
Last Test: England v India at Lord's, 2nd Test, 1959
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1951
Awarded CBE for service to cricket
First wicketkeeper to 200 Test dismissals
First Englishman to 1000 runs and 100 dismissals
First player to 2000 runs and 200 dismissals
Career Statistics:
TESTS
(career)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 91 133 14 2439 104 20.49 2 8 173 46
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling - - - - - - - - - -
FIRST-CLASS
(career: 1939 - 1967)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 465 753 52 14882 144 21.22 7 62 816 250
Balls M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 286 2 245 2 122.50 2-50 0 0 143.0 5.13
LIST A LIMITED OVERS
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 0 - - - - - - - - -
Balls M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 0 - - - - - - - - -
- Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS.
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Profile:
Godfrey Evans was England's first choice wicket-keeper for over a
decade playing 91 Tests, one of the series of great Kent 'keepers
to represent their country. He debuted for Kent in 1939, but then
missed much cricket due to the war. His technique was impeccable,
both standing up and back, and his enthusiasm, courage, and
unflagging energy made him one of the finest wicket-keepers of
his or any time. He had superb reactions, and this, combined with
his natural athletic ability, allowed him to make some
astonishing catches, diving full length down the leg side to
quick bowlers, and sometimes diving well in front of the popping
crease to take bat-pad catches from spinners. At the County
level, he regularly kept to Doug Wright, whose quickish leg
breaks beat the bat frequently, and would challenge all but the
best. He habitually stood up to Alec Bedser, a feat few would
attempt with the ball seaming and swinging at fast-medium pace.
Christopher Martin-Jenkins wrote of him : "Of stocky build and a
quicksilver character. his darting movements flowed from his
natural exurberance, and he made acrobatic catches that few
others, and certainly no other contemporary could have reached."
He was an enterprising and attractive lower order bat, with a
Test hundred to his name. Excellent footwork combined with a good
eye allowed him to improvise to great effect but he could defend
stubbornly when needed. Uncharacteristically he for many years
held a slow scoring record, taking 95 minutes to get off the mark
in a test against Australia in 1947. His courage was never in
doubt, and was amply demonstrated in 1955 in the Old Trafford
Test against South Africa. He broke a finger in two places when
keeping in the first innings, but not only continued behind the
stumps, but all but saved the match by scoring 36 out of a 49 run
last wicket stand, using just one hand for defensive shots. He
remained much involved in cricket after his retirement, acting as
an adviser to bookmakers, as well as running a pub (DL 1999).
Last Updated: Monday, 29-Jul-2002 07:25:30 GMT
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